The lion and the snake
by rebelgirl9314
Summary: Hermione is devestated by the ministry's new law. When help comes from the last person she expected but, at what cost?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: it's the law!

She dropped her copy of the Daily Prophet. How could those awful gits at the ministry believe that this abomination would solve anything? They were as good as treating  
people, young women especially, as slaves! She took a deep breath to calm herself and, reread the article. the Minister of magic has recently approved a radical new  
law to increase reproduction in the wizarding world; as well as decreasing wizard on muggle-born violence. All muggle-born females age 16 and over will submit to  
marriage into a pure-blood family. Suitors will choose a female, and submit a Declaration of marital intent. If a female has no prospective suitors within two weeks,  
she will be put on probation If another to weeks passes the ministry will revoke her wizarding priviligaes female must submit her reply within 30 days of being notified  
of the Declaration of to do so will result in the revocation of wizarding the event of a female having no suitors, she will be put on  
suspension of the right to preform be valid the marriage must be Consummated within two weeks. Conception may be put off by no more than 3 years.

Tears started to fall on the copy of The Daily Prophet she was holding. She noticed that the great hall was filled with sobbing young woman and bewildered looking  
young men. She couldn't stand it! It may be selfish but, she could only deal with her own sadness right now. She practically ran onto the grounds away from the  
castle. eyes blurred from the constant stream of tears, she ran to the only place she could think of. The edge of the Forbidden Forest. Nestled against the trunk of a  
large Oak she allowed herself to sob. The air was barely above freezing but, in the grip of her own sadness she neglected to notice.

She didn't notice she was no longer alone until a cloak was wrapped around her shoulders Mrs. Granger, if you are bent on suicide, freezing to death is a rather slow  
and melodramatic way to do it;don't you think? She was startled to see professor Snape offering her his hand, rather amused look on his face. "Follow me ." Professor  
Snape said quietly."I can't go back in there.I can't talk to anyone right now."" Granger" he said, as if speaking to someone mentally impaired."that wasn't a  
request"Meekly she took his proffered hand, and followed him into his dungeon rooms."professor?" "please refrain from questioning me half to death, until I have cast  
the proper protective charms." Please try to calm yourself child". I don't do well with snivelling in my rooms". She laughed timidly as he handed her a cup of tea he'd  
conjured. "this will calm you" She looked into the cup doubtfully." I assure you; if I wished to harm you, there are much more satisfying methods than  
poisoning your tea"

She took a few shaky gulps of the tea. Immediately she began to feel calm." , I need you to make the Unbreakable-Vow that you will not speak of the things I  
am about to tell you to anyone besides myself, unless given my permission. Obediently, she took out her wand and, clasped hands with her professor  
was made the vow as he asked."thank you,make no mistake, my life as well as yours depends on your ability to keep the vow."

" please try to listen to what I am about to say without my having to put a silencing charm on you. Undoubtedly,you were sobbing because, you read about the  
marriage law." "obviously" she said under her breath. She withered under his glare." "You have a problem mrs. Granger. You see,The dark Lord has taken an interest in  
your marriage," she paled to the color of milk. He pretended not to notice."He has assigned several Death-Eaters to choose you. You would have a choice between suitors  
but, it would be like choosing which snake to be bitten by." "harry and, ron" "Would be killed if you chose one of them The dark lord would kill anyone whom you chose  
that wasn't a Death eater. He wants your intelligence . He wants to use you. At the same time he wants to send a message to Harry Potter. Hermione started to  
cry. He expected him to snap at her. She did not expect the tea that was lifted to her lips, as if she were a small child. " , I am one of the Death-Eaters  
ordered to choose you. If you accept, you will become a spy for The Head-Master. It is dangerous, hard, and sometimes painful . I would not choose this for you ,if  
there was another choice. However, there isn't. I won't hurt you, abuse you, or make you a slave Hermione. He was kneeling in front of her now. His voice was soft.  
"Will you marry me". Her face was red. her hands shaking." Y-Yes Proffessor I will marry you." "sign this."  
His name was already written in beautiful flowing script. Hers looked awkward and scraly next to it she thought. " Hermione, we must seal the contract with a kiss"  
He took her face in his hands. "Trust me".  
and then gently touched his lips to hers, and gently leaned away. The Signed parchment Glowed Gold then dissapeared. With both our signaturel. it is sure to go  
through


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

He considered the young woman who was to become his wife. She was blushing furiously, refusing to look at anything but her sensible black shoes. So much for her Griffyndor courage he sneered. How young she looked sitting there in her school robes, her unruly hair falling into her eyes; she looked like a child being lectured for some misdeed. He sighed and suppressed a smirk as she attempted to reclaim some dignity by sipping her tea. There were so many things she needed to know but, that would have to wait he thought as the teacup dropped from her now heavy fingers.

No doubt she would be furious about the drugged tea but, he could since that she was bordering on exhaustion. The silly little chit probably hadn't slept much since talk of passing this farce of a law had began. In fact, He had noticed that she bore the signs of many sleepless nights in the past two weeks. So it was with little guilt that he slipped the cloak from around her shoulders and, carried her into his room. He transfigured her rumpled robes into a long white night gown and tucked his coverlet about her. Severus scowled at the sleeping figure already she was intruding upon his space. His very bed! she was A burden a pushy, Know-it-all, stubborn griffyndor. It was necessary however, to protect her from the other Death-Eaters as she was much to valuable to the cause to loose. and, a small nagging voice at the back of his mind asserted you've grown to respect her intellect as well as her bravery. He brushed a stray curl away from her cheek. She was still a child innocent in spite of all the things she had faced. He regretted deeply that she was soon to face the harsh realities of the world.

He warded the door and the fireplace so that no one but he could enter and so that Hermione could not leave. Severus smirked at the students that scattered from his path as he marched through the halls. He came to the passage that led to the headmasters chambers."gummy bears" he spat. and stepped behind the eagle statue that swung out of the way. He firmly believed that the headmaster came up with these infernal passwords simply to annoy him. He found Albus sitting behind his desk poised on the tip of his nose; reading a muggle magazine of some sorts. "ahh Severus please come in. How did Mrs Granger react to our plan" Severus ignored the twinkle in the old mans eyes." she reacted well Albus, so well in fact that she is asleep in my bed at the moment" he smirked at the headmasters startled expression. "Don't worry she is fine but, like the rest of the student body; she is sleep deprived, I thought putting her in my bed would be kinder than allowing her to sleep sitting up on my couch". Albus i'm afraid that she doesn't understand the danger of spying on the Dark Lord".I am well aware of that Severus, It will fall to you to teach her. "now Severus, you should be on your way. I cant imagine Miss Granger reacting well to waking in your warded chambers alone.


End file.
